A Pact
by AssortedScribbler
Summary: The team make a pact to help the two people everyone knows should be together but are just too stubborn to see it. Jibbs.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own NCIS, or the characters I'm writing. Wish I did, 'cause then we'd be in completely different kettle of fish right now. But I don't.

**A/N:** This came to me almost completely by accident. I'd been re-watching Series Four and this look Tony gave Jenny at the end of 'Shalom' just caught my thoughts and up sprang this. We all know that photo he left for her at the end of Shalom said more than "I remember." So I decided that someone had to do something, and we all know that Gibbs' team, whether they're led by him or not, can't keep their noses out of something like this for long. So here comes what I thought followed Shalom, there will be more chapters coming from other episodes, not sure yet if they'll continue past Faking It. Thanks to Verity, my new beta reader, for getting this back to me so quickly and being so encouraging. Any thoughts will be very gratefully received, I've never written the other characters in much detail before and I would really like to know how I did and what I could improve. So please review! I'll send Jamaican coffee!

**Summary:** The team make a pact to help the two people everyone knows should be together but are just too stubborn to see it. Jibbs.

**A Pact**

Chapter One

"They were together." Tony said with conviction, out of the blue. The Director had returned to her office not a few minutes before and the bullpen had been quiet. Now all three of his agents looked up from their work and frowned at him, unsure what he was talking about. There was a sneaking suspicion in the minds of the two people who knew their temporary leader but they weren't sure.

"Who?" McGee questioned for everyone's sake, especially Agent Lee, as she had a very blank look on her face. Tony rolled his eyes, almost unbelieving that no one else could see what he saw, then flicked them up at the Director's office, knowing they would get the point but also very aware that it would be unwise to let anyone else know what they were talking about.

"And Gibbs?" Ziva figured it out in a second, Tony's thoughts always having been easy to read, and a somewhat incredulous look climbed her face, still covered in bruises and band-aids. With the meaning now clear, McGee shook his head, uninterested in another of DiNozzo's hunches. As their leader looked over, Tony spared a thought that the frown Ziva was wearing once more must have been a little uncomfortable when he sarcastically replied,

"Well, I wasn't talking about Sachs." Ziva rolled her eyes and was about to come back with something no doubt quite sharp but McGee, on hearing what Tony had meant, transferred his interest back to his computer screen and answered tiredly before she could snap, knowing it would only lead to an argument and him having to step in anyway. Agent Lee quietly got up and left, the rest of the team barely giving her a glance, engrossed in the conversation or their computer, and she didn't mind, knowing she was different from them and that she didn't have the interest in their old Boss and their Agency Boss that they did. It also occurred to her this was not a discussion she wanted to hear anyway, knowing it would conflict with her steady morals.

"Tony, we've been over this before. We can never really know." McGee said almost mechanically. This was a discussion they'd had so many times, especially since Gibbs' departure because there had been obvious signs that him leaving had affected their Director in a personal way. The hints from Cynthia that she was worried, the less than reasonable mood swings, any hint about Gibbs and where he was leading to an icy answer. But nothing was concrete. And slowly the signs were disappearing as she retreated from sharing personal feelings with even them.

"Come on McGee, the thing with the photograph clinches it!" Tony retorted back enthusiastically, letting go of the calm he'd previously been giving off and leaning over his desk so he could see his teammates expressions easily. Now everything was back to relative normality he could joke; in fact, he was dying for a little mischief now that everyone was safe. He was still Tony under the new grown-up face. It was a fact that would have made Ziva smile if it had not hurt her to do so.

"You saw him go up to her office, they may have just been talking about it." Ziva suggested, affecting a non-caring stance and also leaning further forward to meet Tony's eyes in a challenging way, though something in the way she spoke alerted Tony to the possibility that she may be considering what he was saying. It was an encouraging sign he would not dismiss. There was no point in trying to appeal to McGee until he'd won someone else over.

"Then why leave the photograph?" He asked, a glint in his eye that said he was going to be dogged about this. McGee shrugged, not ready yet to give up his part in the conversation. Tony quickly realised that he wasn't going to win McGee over to his side, at least not without better evidence, so he turned to the other participant and hoped for better luck. "Ziva, you saw it, you saw how happy she looked in it. And that little smile after you asked her where it was taken? Unfinished business!" Tony explained triumphantly, his hands dancing around in front of him, looking eagerly at his partner for any sign she was coming around.

"She did look happy." Ziva agreed quietly, looking away as if remembering something, with her own small smile. How DiNozzo wished he could read her thoughts just then.

"Don't tell me he's gotten to you." McGee said, a little exasperated, leaning to look at the Israeli with a raised eyebrow. Ziva looked a little reluctant, and that pause meant Timothy already knew the answer to his question before she explained gently, with a tinge of something that resembled regret to her tone and face,

"Well McGee, when you're undercover a lot of time, with only one person to rely on and trust, and that person is someone you respect and admire, it can happen." Not for the first time or indeed the last Tony wondered if he would ever know enough about his partner. There were so many things he would like to ask and yet he knew she would never answer. "And she did talk of him often when we worked together." She added as if to herself, lifting a hand to her mouth, obviously thinking hard. Tony brushed away the feeling of longing and declared in a self-righteous tone,

"That settles it. They were together." Tony finished for her in a satisfied way, once more leaning back in his chair and a smug smile taking up residence in his expression as his hands swung back to rest on the top of his seat and cup his head, thinking he'd proven his point. But the conversation wasn't over.

"Which begs the question," Ziva continued with a tiny smile, looking around at Tony, and the stance she knew he'd adopted from Gibbs,

"What?" Tony queried, a little peeved his perfect smug moment had been ruined, leaning back up in his chair and angling his head at Ziva.

"What happened?" Ziva completed her question with a mildly curious face. The question hung in the air and made both men frown a bit, knowing it was probably one they would never have a proper answer to. Tony pondered various answers for a few moments then almost grinned as an obvious realisation occurred to him.

"Well, we all know Gibbs' track record with women, maybe he just-" Tony began but Ziva interrupted.

"No, it would have been her decision." Her tone was determined, she knew what she was saying was right and that made Tony frown, because he didn't like not knowing their Director as well as she did. He liked to know everything about everyone, which was why he gossiped so much, and why Ziva intrigued him as much as she did, because he seriously doubted he'd ever get past all the layers she wrapped herself in.

"How do you know?" Tony asked quickly, hoping for a little detail of the time before Ziva joined NCIS but the Mossad officer was never one for telling secrets and Jenny's time working with her was mostly consisting of those.

"Trust me Tony, I know Jenny. It would have ended on her terms." The response was so quick it was slightly defensive but Tony let it go. Sometimes, it wasn't worth pushing the point. Especially as he was winning the argument at the moment. He replied in a slightly derogatory tone of voice as if talking about stubborn five years olds, quite appropriate really,

"Well, if so, how come nothing had happened since? She obviously still-"

"Lower your voice!" Ziva shot at him and stopped his self-satisfied speech, glancing around her before leaning further over her desk and saying in a low voice, "Maybe something was going to happen. But then Gibbs left. Any chance would have left with him. Not to mention his memory loss, you know how much it hurt that he wouldn't remember you. Imagine how much worse that must have been for her! Someone she cares about that much. Maybe when he gets it all back she may say something. But then he would have to come back here and tell her. Which he won't do. Neither of them will." There was a touch of sadness in her voice just then, as if she could understand the regret Jenny and Gibbs had to be feeling as well as the reluctance to risk everything on a second-time-lucky relationship.

"Well, if Gibbs comes back-"

"When he comes back," Ziva corrected, smiling in a knowing way that made Tony sigh in what was supposed to be an exasperated way but maybe there was a hint of longing there as well, though he did not alter his wording. He didn't want to take anything for granted. He'd thought he knew his Boss, but he wasn't so sure now.

"_If_ he comes back, maybe us and Abby should make a pact. Do everything we can to help them." Tony offered, and for the first time in the whole conversation, Ziva knew for sure he was being deadly serious. It was times like these she knew there was a decent man inside Anthony DiNozzo that really wanted the best for the people he knew, though generally he made life difficult for them.

"That's sweet Tony." She commented, but did not agree, knowing an obvious flaw with his plan. "But if either of them find out, they would most likely kill us." She paused for a moment and then amended her statement. "Well, they would kill you two. Individually, and painfully." There was definitely a twist of amusement in her tone then and that cheered Tony up immensely. So much so that he felt safe to carry on plotting.

"So we try and be subtle about it. Call it a covert operation if you like." Tony replied, glaring at Ziva when she snorted sarcastically.

"Tony, subtle?" She laughed. "Might as well ask a banana to be orange." McGee tried to withhold his laugh at that but didn't do a particularly good job, because he received a Gibbs glare from Tony before the team leader pouted and turned away, muttering mutinously,

"Bet Abby'll help."

"That's because they won't kill Abby. They would kill us!" McGee called over his computer, his voice a little high at the thought of being tracked down and eaten alive by the two people he was most in awe of.

"Well, I'm going to try." DiNozzo stated determinedly, folding his arms and pouting a little. When no other offers of help were forth coming, he enquired pointedly, "Anyone else?" There was a second or two of silence before Tim reluctantly looked up and nodded, much to the surprise of the two other people in the bullpen.

"I'm in." He said, making both other team member's eyebrows go sky high. He'd spent the entire discussion submarine-ing their ideas but he was going to go along with it anyway? He saw their expressions and explained his decision with a look at both of them both. "Though I hate to admit it, you're usually right about stuff like this Tony. And they both deserve to be happy." The young Agent said with a small smile. Ziva sighed, though she was a little touched by the softer side to the Probie she usually teased, and turned to their leader as well, her expression saying even before she did that she was also giving in.

"In that case, I will also help." Ziva agreed, making Tony grin as wide as his mouth would let him and he leant back in his chair again, hands behind his head again, at last sure that something good had come out of today. It gave him a warmer glow than he'd had in a long time. Probably since the first time McGee called him Boss. He let it fill him up and grinned widely, satisfied, already thinking how to go about breaching it to Abby in a way that meant she would be able to keep it a secret from Gibbs.

"I'll talk to Abby later." He informed them before closing his eyes. Both other team members rolled their eyes in a unanimous movement and went back to their work, though all three minds were contemplating what they had just agreed to do and various ways they could actually pull it off. It would be a difficult undertaking, but if it worked, then they all knew the result in their Boss and their Agency Boss would be well worth the effort. Assuming Gibbs did come back. But he had to, didn't he?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own NCIS, or the characters I'm writing. Wish I did, 'cause then we'd be in completely different kettle of fish right now. But I don't.

**A/N:** I know, having another chapter up this soon is unheard of for me, but I already had most of this written already. Spoilers in this one for 'Escaped' in Season 4, though I doubt many people haven't seen it yet. There will be more chapters coming from other episodes following this one, though I'm still not sure yet if they'll continue past Faking It. If you have any ideas for the following episodes that follow my theme then please do share them with me. Any thoughts and reviews will be very gratefully received, like I said, I've never written the other characters in much detail before and I would really like to know how I did and what I could improve. So please review! I'll send Jamaican coffee!

PS I know I'm being a bit mean to Agent Lee but I can't seem to make her fit in with this sort of discussion.

**Summary:** The team make a pact to help the two people everyone knows should be together but are just too stubborn to see it. Jibbs.

**A Pact**

Chapter Two

"_Not tonight. His real estate agent is fumigating his house. Apparently, Gibbs got termites."_ Those words were running around the back of Tony's mind for a long time after the Director had returned to her office and his team were back at their desks. The expression on her face as she said it was an odd one, as if she was relishing the fact and at the same time, not happy. It had been bugging him since then so once he was convinced everyone who shouldn't be listening to this was out of earshot, he leant over his desk and whispered in a conspiratory manner so Ziva and McGee could hear,

"How did she know Gibbs' house was being fumigated? The only way she'd know that was if she'd applied to buy the house." There was the air of an excited puppy in his gleaming eyes just then and Ziva picked up immediately on what it meant. She'd expected the subject of their Director and their Boss' relationship to resurface soon, with Gibbs' return, though admittedly she'd not expected it to be this soon. McGee however, was not so quick.

"She could have talked to Fornell." The young man offered, looking around his computer in a very familiar movement by now, at Tony, whose expression said he was distinctly unimpressed with McGee's answer. Sometimes Tim wondered why he even tried to be the voice of reason with this guy when he got talking about people.

"I like my idea better." Tony shot back, giving McGee a hard stare.

"Only because it proves your theory Tony." Ziva pointed out, deciding the sooner they got the subject talked over, the less likely they would get caught. With both Jenny and Gibbs back at NCIS the risk was doubly high. And there was always the chance someone would over-hear and tell Jenny, or mention it to Gibbs, which was just as dangerous. Tony looked around at her and nodded, that unbearable smirk back again which Ziva had to admit to causing this time and was not exactly subtle.

"What theory?" McGee frowned, not keyed into the leap Ziva had made.

"About our Director and her old partner having a 'thing' back in the day." Tony replied in his usual annoying way though this time, his hands once more rising and doing annoying hand gestures as he spoke. Both other team members could not deny he could have a point but it would probably have been wise not to admit it. There was such a remote possibility of this conversation actually having anything good come from it that it didn't seem to out-weigh the risks just then.

"Not this again." McGee groaned, going back to his computer screen though the others knew from experience that it didn't mean he wasn't listening.

"Well, I'm not saying he's right McGee," as soon as she said it, the Israeli knew she was, she even wanted to think it was true, because they both deserved happiness, at least for a little while, "but I'm beginning to see his side." Ziva admitted, looking across and away from the team leader's insatiable smirk in order to curb the urge to strangle him as he registered her defeat. McGee was about to reply when another answer was piped up from the other side of the bullpen.

"It's against the NCIS Code of Conduct." Agent Lee ventured from behind her own screen and the rest of the team turned in one movement to scowl at her, especially Tony, since it was his argument she was against. And who really cared what the Code said anyway? There were ways round things like that. And if anyone were going to break the rules, it would be them. Having said that…

"It's also against Rule 12." Tony added, turning back to McGee and Ziva, suggesting the point as though that was a legitimate argument. And of course with Gibbs and his team, it was. It was the first thing you learned with Gibbs: His rules are not to be broken under any circumstances.

"That is something though." McGee said thoughtfully, lifting a hand to cover his chin and pausing in his typing. That expression on wondering caught Tony's attention instantly and he greeted Tim's eyes eagerly.

"What?" Tony questioned, always keen to have more swaying power to persuade the others to help him create a world with one more 'happy couple' of people in it. They deserved each other. Suited each other even. Ziva tried to shoot a warning glance at McGee, knowing whatever he was about to say would only help Tony's case and that it would very stupid to give him any more reason to bug them about it but the old Probie was off in a world of his own, or rather memory. By the soft look, it looked like one before Gibbs abandoned them.

"Well, before Gibbs left," he almost stumbled over those words, they still sounded so foreign to him, even now, and he knew the others hated it when they were said, "he sent me up with some case files and yours," he motioned at Ziva and Tony, "were missing and I stupidly said I wasn't surprised." He suddenly found two identical glares shooting at him and he rushed to defend himself. "I just meant that you both sometimes take a while to hand them in," he explained worriedly, and Tony interjected,

"Remind me to head-slap you later."

"May I as well?" Ziva glared, flicking a look of permission at Tony, who nodded and poor Timmy swallowed nervously.

"Anyway, the Director took it a different way, that you two were being distracted and asked me if I thought you two were sleeping together." His face flushed crimson as the words dropped unceremoniously from his mouth, in a jumble that only his friends could have understood, not helped by the fact that he'd dropped his head so he wouldn't have to meet anyone's eyes. "I said no, that would be breaking Rule 12 and she frowned. I didn't know if she knew about the rules so I relayed it and she smiled as if she understood. But since then, I've heard her quote Gibbs' rules off by heart, so how come she didn't know that one?" McGee wondered out loud, not really directing his remarks at anyone. The triumphant smile on Tony's face should have warned him he'd said something he shouldn't, but it was too late to take it back.

"Maybe our Rule 12 wasn't her Rule 12?" Tony offered slyly, raising an eyebrow.

"What does it matter?" Ziva asked, confused how this would help them at all. Then it occurred to her exactly which rule that was and she grinned as well.

"Well, he had to have a reason to change it. Maybe it was her?" Tony offered, the light coming back into his eyes in a delighted fashion, making Ziva roll hers heavenward, quickly getting rid of the smirk that had rivalled her partner's. His sly smile would have been enough to make her do so, but when DiNozzo got on a roll with an idea, there really was no stopping him. Which was surprising, seeing as how the ideas he used to have usually ended up getting him a Gibbs-slap in the old days.

"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, sir?" Agent Lee interjected, and all three heads snapped onto her with an irritated expression.

"No one asked you, Probie." Tony shot at her and she sighed, going back to whatever she was working on and leaving them to their scheming. It wasn't worth trying to inject any realism into the conversation, she'd heard McGee try, but when they made up their minds… that was it. She understood more every day why she didn't seem to fit in with this team. They were so different to what she was used to.

"It doesn't matter," Ziva pressed, continuing the conversation as if their Probie had not spoken, "it still doesn't help us with our pact." Ziva said, lowering her voice as some random agent walked past the squad room. They all leant a little further over their desks though how much good it would do wasn't clear. It didn't occur to them that someone would listen in on one of their conversations though they were being careful in their own ways.

"Every detail could help." Tony argued, that energy filling him again as he thought of the possibilities, the detail they could learn if something were to re-ignite between Gibbs and Jenny. It appealed to his need for gossip, but also to his chivalrous side. Jenny had changed since Gibbs left and he wasn't sure he liked it. Wasn't sure it was a good thing.

"Well, getting back to your original point, so what if she wants to buy his house? It's further out from the city than hers, and she probably doesn't want it to fall into a stranger's hands." Ziva hypothesised as if this were a case they were working on. There was a brief minute where she thanked God Tony hadn't called for a campfire over this one. Because it was, in some ways, just as important as anything else they did.

"Proving she still cares for him." Tony added, tilting his head a bit.

"As a friend." McGee finished, not looking convinced at which DiNozzo shot him another glare.

"Bet she didn't tell him she'd applied, and I bet she asked the real estate agent not to either." Tony retorted in a petulant child's voice.

"Still doesn't help. Doesn't conclusively prove anything." Ziva repeated, leaning her arms on the desk.

"Still couldn't hurt to find out." Tony replied, with a mischievous smile as his eyes turned pointedly to McGee. The younger man didn't even look around from his computer as he shook his head and said determinedly,

"No Tony."

"I didn't ask yet!" DiNozzo protested, the grin still firmly in place. He loved being a little out of order sometimes; he completely understood why Gibbs enjoyed it so much, though admittedly those incidents had been increasingly frequent since Jenny's appointment so it may just have been a way to get her attention. McGee spared the team leader a glance with a sarcastic "You think I don't know you by now?" look.

"I will not hack the estate agent's server to find out if Director Shepard made an offer on Gibbs' house." Tim reeled off, knowing that was exactly what he'd been about to ask. He'd done enough illegal things for his lifetime and he knew if Gibbs came back, that number would only go up. But this was not a necessary evil so if refusal were an option then he would take it. Tony made some indignant noises for a few seconds then gave up trying to make out he'd not been about to suggest just that.

"Come on." He wheedled, pouting at Tim as the younger Agent shook his head. Then a thought passed DiNozzo's mind, a very clever thought (it did happen occasionally) and he stopped, shrugging to McGee and turning to his phone. "Fine. I'll get Abby to do it. She'd probably be faster anyway." He added quietly, but so McGee could definitely hear it. He knew Ziva would twig exactly what he was up to, but was hoping even if McGee worked it out, it would still work. And work it did, like a charm.

"What?" Tim burst out, his face a picture of indignant irritation. Tony briefly glanced over his shoulder as he picked up the phone and put it to his ear and shrugged, an innocent expression on his face that shouldn't have fooled anyone. "You think I couldn't do it?" The young man questioned fiercely, his pride at stake, and the senior field Agent knew he'd got him.

"No, not at all, I'm just saying Abby would probably be faster, that's all." Tony replied with no hint that he had any idea that he was intentionally offending the young man opposite him. Ziva almost gave the game away when she sniggered but when McGee looked around she quickly turned it into a cough, hiding her smile with her hand. Faced with so many potential witnesses to what he would see as a humiliation, he quickly pulled his keyboard towards him and asking in a curt tone,

"What estate agent is he using?" Smothering his triumphant grin, DiNozzo turned back to McGee and replaced the receiver on the dock all in one movement.

"Mill Run Real Estate. Name of Randy A. Jarvis. I got a phone number if you want it?" Tony offered, placing an elbow on his desk and putting his chin in his palm, reeling off the information easily, having committed it to memory for just such a purpose. McGee gave him an odd look and shook his head before facing his computer with an expression that meant business, his fingers beginning to type a thousand strokes a minute no doubt. As the Probie typed away, Tony snuck a look at Ziva and raised an eyebrow, knowing she would know what he was thinking. 'That was too easy.' She resisted the urge to roll her eyes again and settled for glaring at the new team leader instead. It wasn't nice of him to manipulate McGee like that, though she couldn't help thinking he was asking for it, he made it so easy. It took maybe a minute, maybe less, until Tim gave a little hiss of success and slumped back in his chair, his grin now rivalling Tony's.

"Yes! See, I told you she wouldn't – wait." There was a few seconds more of typing and the grin faded into a frown of confusion. "What's Director Shepard's housekeeper called?" They'd as a team been round there for a meal or two, even Gibbs had gone along, since she'd started and they had all taken to the warm Spanish girl, but he always had trouble with her name.

"Noemi… something Spanish." Tony answered, and he was regarding Tim with an earnest expression, trying to guess what had prompted such an odd question as well as the mixture of confusion and denial on the younger Agent's face. He couldn't decide whether it was a good or bad sign. Ziva also noticed the change of atmosphere and looked up from her paperwork, her gaze switching between both men and wondering what had happened.

"Well, apparently, she made an offer on the house. Above the asking price. Not cheap." McGee told them both, scrolling with his mouse as if that would change what the screen said. He had thought doing this would be ok, because he'd been sure Jenny hadn't made an offer. DiNozzo wasn't always right; apparently this time he was. Now he felt a little uncomfortable with the thought he'd been poking around in his Director's personal affairs. He didn't imagine for a second how that feeling was going to be compounded in a minute.

"That settles it. There's no way she could afford a house that size on housekeeper's pay. The Director made an offer through Noemi so Gibbs wouldn't find out." Tony stated, nodding his head and the grin returning full force, not sharing at all in his younger agent's discomfort. Yet. Ziva looked back at McGee, testing to see what he thought and was surprised to find resignation in his eyes. He believed Tony. Well, what other explanation was there?

"It does look like it." Tim admittedly, looking across the bullpen at Ziva, with a look that wasn't quite surprised, but almost as if he couldn't quite believe it. Ziva raised both eyebrows, mulling over the information, analysing for any worth in persuading either of them of the other's feeling, before setting down her pen and began saying in a low tone,

"Interesting, but it doesn't conclusively prove she still-"

"I still _what_ Officer David?" A voice interrupted from just the other side of the cubicle wall beside Ziva. There stood the Director, her shoulders thrown back and her eyes flashing dangerously. It just showed how captivated their attention had been that none of them had noticed her approach. One look at her and the whole team went completely ashen, even Ziva. The Mossad officer had seen Jenny at her most furious and this was definitely matching if not surpassing that. But there was a different quality to her anger. In the past, it had been fiery and uncontained, but Ziva knew just by looking at her that this was different. This wasn't Jen's redhead passion; this was the Director's icy fury. Ziva couldn't decide which was worse.

"Nothing." All three guilty faces chorused together, and if it had not been such a serious situation, Ziva would have found Tony's wide-eyed fear and McGee's anxious tugging at his tie very amusing. But she had not been kidding when she'd said Jenny could kill them. She'd seen the redhead make drug lords cower, she did not want to think what Jenny could do to Tony if she so chose, let alone McGee. Even Ziva felt her skin shiver a little as the Director lifted her eyes from one face to another, each one quivering under her gaze, some more noticeably than others. Finally, those blazing emeralds alighted on DiNozzo and he tried to glare back defiantly, but she beat him down.

"A word, Agent DiNozzo." She snapped through gritted teeth, as if she unclenched her jaw then a few less appropriate words would slip past her control. He nodded, a little spirit still present even if he couldn't meet her eyes anymore. She didn't give him chance to catch up with her, stalking off the minute he stood, making him hurry to catch up with her. He was vaguely aware of McGee and Ziva passing him looks of sympathy and pity as he passed their desks and followed her around the stairs to where the others couldn't see them. He wondered if he should start, give her a Gibbs version of an apology though he wouldn't mean it, but she swung around to face him the minute they were out of sight and once again he was almost floored by the full weight of her anger, flashed at him in the twist of her mouth and of course those blazing emeralds that were her eyes.

"Director-"

"Save it DiNozzo. I have had far too many Gibbs-style apologies. I understand you find boundaries difficult, but you _will_ respect this one. My personal life, past and present, is NONE of your business or your team's, do you understand?" It felt as if she was shouting, but her voice never went above a reasonable level. Tony swallowed quickly and nodded curtly.

"Yes ma'am." It was the most polite thing he could think to say. He didn't appreciate being reprimanded for curiosity that he considered only natural. The part of him that he knew was Gibbs talking in his mind was saying he could argue it out, get her to really loose it and maybe she'd let something slip, something he could use on Gibbs or break her façade but the reasoning part of him knew she could fire his ass and kick him all the way to the North Pole if she chose, so it immediately put a damper on that idea.

"You better. Get back to work." She flung that at him and turned away, presumably heading for the elevator and her office, where he knew she sought sanctuary now. Ziva was right. She'd been telling him for weeks that he should talk to her, get her to open up before she closed down completely but he'd been too busy trying to hold the team together to pay any attention. Now he wished he'd tried. He knew it wouldn't do her any good, what she was doing. And Gibbs would be furious if he found out. There was a little flare of anger at the dismissal but a decent side of him made the apology he'd started earlier spill from his lips.

"I'm sorry Jenny. We were just trying-"

"I don't care! Don't you get it? Whatever happened between Jethro and I, and I'm not saying anything did, ended years ago. And nothing," her voice wobbled in a barely noticeable way over that definite word but Tony caught it, "will ever be able to resurrect it." Tony looked up into her face just then, wondering if she really believed that and was convinced she did by the kind of bitter determination in her voice and those expressive eyes. She hadn't managed to lock the pair of incredible orbs down yet. "Get back to work." This time he made no attempt to stop her as she stalked off, his eyes lowered. The threat about what would happen if she heard about this being raised as a topic again was left unsaid but Tony understood it as clearly as if she'd actually left it hanging in the air while she turned and strode away, an aura that positively crackled with anger surrounding her.

"Redheads." DiNozzo muttered to himself, wondering how Gibbs had managed to live as long as he had with three ex-wives who probably had tempers just as bad. Though he had to admit, he'd never seen Jenny quite that pissed before. Maybe he'd hit a nerve. Maybe they'd got too close to the truth; in fact, that probably was why she was so furious. Knowing it definitely wasn't the smart thing to do, he walked back towards and into the squad room, determination settling in his gut with Gibbs-like stubbornness. He watched Ziva look up and watch him worriedly, and then McGee saw her and turned, both obviously concerned.

"I thought for sure she'd have at least castrated you." Ziva offered with a small smile, knowing Tony wouldn't appreciate her asking if he was ok. McGee's eyes widened considerably at that thought and almost made his team leader smile.

"I must just be lucky huh?" Tony joked, sliding into their square of space and going over to his desk. He felt the Mossad officer's eyes sweep over him, checking for any sign the Director had carried out the threat her mere gaze had made obvious when she'd appeared in their midst. He let his ego feel stroked for a minute, letting himself believe she really did care, before sitting down at his desk and shunting forward in his chair so he could work. After a few seconds he felt McGee's stare burning into his brain and looked up from his computer, an odd feeling since it was usually the other way round.

"You got something to say, McGee?" He asked, in a typical fashion he'd learned for years and always wanted to try.

"What'd she say?" The Agent asked straight out, his attention completely focussed on the man he now respected as his boss and friend as the team waited for the verdict on whether this "covert operation" would continue or not. It showed how far they had come that Tony now commanded the same level of loyalty as Gibbs; they were willing to break the rules with him if he said so. He weighed out the pros and cons, thinking about Jenny, and her mistakes, and Gibbs, and his mistakes, and found his mind was already made up.

"We're going to have to be a lot more subtle." Tony finally said, a small grin overtaking his mouth as he looked up and met Tim's eyes then Ziva's. There was a little bit of reluctance in both but his determination overcame that easily and they nodded, going back to their own work. He smiled a self-satisfied smile, glad they agreed with him even if they weren't as sure as he, and was about to return to looking over some old case files when he heard Ziva chuckle quietly and leaned around to watch her. She let her eyes meet his and shook her head gently.

"You never learn Tony."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own NCIS, or the characters I'm writing. Wish I did, 'cause then we'd be in completely different kettle of fish right now. But I don't.

**A/N:** Ok, this one goes with the episode 'Singled Out' so spoilers for that one. I always knew that those flowers were from Gibbs; I just couldn't work out how to put it into a fic. I finally worked it into this one. Hope I made the right decision! Please let me know how I did! There's also a little Tiva flirting in this part of my fic, I couldn't resist, it just worked since there was such a depressing lack of it in the fourth season. Enjoy! If you have any ideas for the following episodes after 'Faking It' that follow my theme then please do share them with me. Any thoughts and reviews will be very gratefully received, like I said, I've never written the other characters in much detail before and I would really like to know how I did and what I could improve. So please review! I'll send Jamaican coffee!

**Summary:** The team make a pact to help the two people everyone knows should be together but are just too stubborn to see it. Jibbs.

**A Pact**

Chapter Three

Gibbs had just left for coffee, and it felt so normal, as if nothing had changed. But Tony still felt a little odd at his old desk and unsure in his new role. But it wasn't about to stop him trying to fulfil the Pact he'd started with the others for this time. They'd said when Gibbs came back; they'd start working together to bring him and the Director back together. Now Gibbs was back. So Tony knew it had to be full steam ahead if they had any chance of succeeding. Especially as he knew, if he left as well, as part of him wanted to, the Pact would never be fulfilled. With that thought, Tony abandoned the work he had been doing and gave a quick glance around the room, not wanting to repeat a mistake (especially not with Gibbs instead of Jenny this time). Then he leant over his desk and picked up his phone, dialling a number he obviously knew quite well, barely looking at the numbers as he held the phone to his ear. McGee and Ziva both noticed what he was doing and looked up, sharing a frown at his odd behaviour.

"Hi, Cynthia? Yeah, it's Tony. Listen, I need a favour. What agency delivered the flowers in our lovely Madam Director's office?" There was a few seconds of silence as Tony listened and the others frowned some more, and then a grin spread across the senior field agent's face. "No agency? Hand delivered? By whom?" Another pause as he looked up and flashed a smile at the other two, knowing he would have good news for them as soon as he got off the phone. "You're kidding? They were in her office when you got here this morning? Well, who has a key? Cynthia her security are not delivering bouquets of orchids in the middle of the night – she definitely didn't buy them herself, there was a card. OK, thanks anyway Cynthia. I'll make it up to you." The smile on his face as he put the phone back in the receiver was too huge for his face almost, and was rapidly becoming a smirk as he took in the incredulous looks on his colleagues' faces.

"What was all that about?" Ziva ventured first, motioning with her hand at the phone. There was that smirk again.

"Just checking a hunch, Zi-va." Tony replied, appearing to go back to work, sparing her only a short flash of his smile. She narrowed her eyes and thought she recognised the symptoms he was exhibiting. There was only one subject that made Tony grin like that and she knew that phone call had given him another reason to grin about it.

"What hunch?" McGee called from his desk, looking completely mystified as a knowing look passed over Ziva's face and Tony gave him a pitying glance. How was he supposed to know what they were talking about? He hadn't yet caught onto the way they could talk about something without actually saying what it was. Sometimes Tony wondered if he ever would.

"About who sent the Director flowers, Probie." Tony answered, not really answering the question, meaning of course that it became a matter for discussion, which was exactly what Tony had intended of course. Ziva resigned herself to lending an ear to the talk and gave up on working the task Gibbs had set her for a few minutes. They had at least another five minutes before he got back.

"Maybe it was her boyfriend. I heard she was seeing a doctor." McGee offered, leaning back in chair, also resigned to talking it out with the others, knowing the Pact they'd all agreed to was finally coming into play and in some way, they were all looking forward to it. They wanted happiness for both people involved. Tony shook his head, a smug smile saying he'd already considered and discarded that idea, and Ziva thought privately it was great to see him so easy. He'd been a bit on edge since Gibbs came back.

"Over last week. He's been posted abroad. Although I have a feeling it was more to do with a certain person returning and claiming her time more than him being away." Tony wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and McGee rolled his eyes but Ziva gave him a sharply questioning look, plainly asking how he knew that. Even she hadn't known about that yet. He saw it and shrugged, rolling his head back. "I may have overheard a bit of conversation and bribed Cynthia for the rest." Tony admitted, not looking at all ashamed, which he probably wasn't. Though Ziva would be having serious words that girl, to warn her about letting DiNozzo get hold of information before her. "Besides, her boyfriend would not pick the lock to her office or make his own key just to deliver her some flowers without being seen." Tony announced, satisfied when both the others' faces looked suitably surprised at this little piece of information.

"The lock was picked?" McGee queried, turning his chair to face Tony, while still making sure his work for Gibbs was still up on the screen, so he could get back to it if the boss did decide to make an early appearance. DiNozzo also turned his chair sideways and leant back, putting his feet up on the desk and nodding.

"Well, no one else has a key but her, Cynthia and her security detail so that leaves the two possibilities I mentioned." Tony answered, meeting McGee's gaze with a self-satisfied smile again. Ziva was moving a post-it from one side of her desk to the other when a thought occurred to her and she spoke it in a conversational tone, before her brain caught up with the implications.

"I bet Gibbs has a key." She could have head-slapped herself as soon as the words left her mouth. That was the whole point. And Tony had just made her say instead of him. She flipped her head up surprisingly fast and glared at the said Agent, as his smirk threatened to make all his muscles strain.

"Exactly, Miss David." Tony congratulated and she glared even more, her fingers stretching towards the paperclip box she always kept on her desk threateningly. His exultant expression barely flickered, even as his eyes dropped quickly towards the box and back up to the slight smirk on her face as she opened it and took one out, spinning it between her fingers.

"No, Tony, not again. Don't you remember how mad the Director was last time we got caught?" McGee intruded on the moment and their attention flashed away from each other and towards him. Tony recovered his bravado, even as the memory made him squirm a little. She really had been terrifying that day. But he remembered how Abby had squealed when he'd revealed their plan to her, and how happy Gibbs had seemed around her before he left, unless they were fighting, in which case, the chemistry was even more obvious. That was what he wanted for the Boss. And he may not have much more time to achieve it, if he took the Director up on that promotion.

"I'll risk it." Tony told the old Probie, the smirk not quite as prominent now but still there. It just made McGee roll his eyes again and he almost went back to work. Then he had a thought.

"Well, if you're right Tony, all we'd need is to see that card. At least then we know what kind of basis we've got to work with for this Pact." Tim said quietly, his eyes making a sweep over the area outside the bullpen, wishing more than anything that Gibbs was not anywhere in the near vicinity. Otherwise they would all be dead. Or worse. But when he saw the look in Tony's eye after he said it, he felt just like Ziva had. Ready to Gibbs-slap himself. He'd walked right into that one.

"Got it in one Probie." Tony replied, that mischievous gleam they knew so well in his eyes. Ziva shook her head – he never learned to keep his nose or any other extension of his face out of everyone else's business. McGee followed her movement and did the same, turning away from Tony's eager eyes, knowing he would not be able to ignore him if the other man could find his eyes.

"Tony, you can't possible be thinking of-" Ziva started with an incredulous expression, overlaid with disbelief. But Tony turned his head to her and grinned in a way that told her that was _exactly _what he was thinking. "Breaking into the Director's office?" She finished, making clear she thought he was nuts with just a flash of her expression at him and McGee. Tony raised his arms and looked at them both as if asking what was the big deal.

"Tony, she has security for a reason. And Gibbs'll be back any minute, you know he'll catch us."

"Already, McScaredy, you can be lookout for the Director. If you see her coming towards her office while I'm still in there, delay her. Got it? Ok, Ziva, can you call Abby? Ask her to call the Director down to her lab and keep her there for as long as she can. I don't want to get caught looking at that card again." He muttered, and though the other two shared another look about that, he did not elaborate. What could he have said? That he was thinking of leaving? That this could be one of the last times he could joke with them about this? No. He got up and went around the desk to wait by the stairs until he saw the Director leave in response to Abby's summons. But Ziva stopped him just before he could leave the awkward situation he'd created.

"What do I do?"

"Keep a watch for Gibbs."

"Why do you get to check the card?"

"Because I'm the only one that can get past Cynthia. Just make sure he doesn't catch on, if he turns up while I'm still gone, say I've gone to the head or something, be creative. Just make sure he doesn't think I'm doing what I'm actually doing." Tony told her, urgently; knowing they probably didn't have much time. Just as he turned to head for the stairs, he saw Jenny glide across the catwalk, flicking a gaze at their square before she called the elevator and stepped inside. He checked his watch, guessing he probably had about seven minutes until she caught on Abby was rambling about nothing.

The other two team members did what they'd been told, habits like that were hard to break and they were curious to see what was on that card, despite themselves. It would give them something if Gibbs had sent them. Ziva barely contained a wince at the thought of the squeal Abs would release on hearing it was from him. Luckily, this was the one time Gibbs did not turn up at the wrong moment. He was conveniently absent until after Tony returned five minutes later. The subtle assured air he had as he descended the stairs and his smirk, though not as obvious as before, was nonetheless still very much present. Ziva guessed before he'd even told them he'd been right. Gibbs had sent her the flowers. Which only made the Israeli even more curious as to what Gibbs could say with flowers that he couldn't say in person.

"What did it say?" Ziva asked as Tony once more took up a relaxed position behind his desk, self-gratification seeping from his every pore.

"All he said was 'Thanks' but it was him." DiNozzo confirmed, a happy smile settling in his expression. Ziva contemplated that news as McGee sat at his desk, surprise evident in his posture. Hadn't he said Tony was usually right about these things? Well, maybe he hadn't truly believed that. However, it was the smile on Tony's face just then that set Ziva thinking. It wasn't smug or sneering, it was a truly happy smile, as if he was honestly happy for both Gibbs and Jenny, that there was still some friendliness at the very least between them. It made their task a little less daunting.

"You're glad he gave her flowers, yes?" Ziva ventured, wondering if he would talk about it.

"Yeah, Ziva, it means he's human under there somewhere." Tony replied honestly, before turning to his computer and starting to type. That made Ziva smile.


End file.
